Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Solar Power: Expenditure

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much the Government spent from the public purse on (a) subsidies, (b) investment and (c) research and development in the solar energy sector in each of the last 10 financial years and to date in this financial year.

Claire Perry: a) SubsidiesThe value of subsidy schemes which support renewable generation technologies, such as Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems, are levied on consumer electricity bills. The Office for Budget Responsibility publish forecasts of the overall spend on such schemes at each Fiscal Event. However, solar thermal panels are funded through the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), which is funded through general taxation. The RHI spend on solar thermal energy over the last 10 financial years to date, in £GDP is as follows:Year2011/122012/132013/142014/15Cost (£)09,10055,400870,585Year2015/162016/172017/182018/19Cost (£)2,015,5642,303,4092,349,77036,177The RHI opened to applicants in 2011 so there is no data for earlier years. These figures are based on meter readings from RHI participants. There is a lag in BEIS receiving this data, so the data for more recent years (2017/18 and 2018/19) is not yet final. b) Investment & c) Research and DevelopmentThere is no single data repository for historical information on cross-government investment into energy research, development and demonstration (RD&D). The best available record of government investment in renewable energy technologies is the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Energy Technology RD&D Budget Database, which this Department and its predecessor (Department of Energy and Climate Change) contribute to. The IEA’s database allows users to track trends in spending by energy technology in IEA countries back to 1974. You can find the information you require at: http://www.iea.org/statistics/rdd/. Whilst, the IEA’s Database is the most complete and best available historical record, given the long time period, the range of government departments and agencies involved, and different interpretations of what classifies as energy RD&D, the reported figures could be imperfect and/or incomplete. The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is currently reviewing how this data is collected and reported, to improve data accuracy and confidence in the future. The table below, available on the IEA website, shows the amount spent on biomass energy innovation per financial year to the nearest million in £GDP (blank cells is where data is unavailable): Year20072008200920102011201220132014201520162017Solar energy7.79 15.2726.6190928.9910.2310.1910.9612.578.06Solar heating and cooling0.821.08 Solar thermal power and high temp applications   Unallocated solar energy7.79 13.9826.619.928.9910.1910.199.6510.538.03Solar PV  0.962   0.029 0.3680.7190.026

Wind Power: Expenditure

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much the Government spent from the public purse on (a) subsidies, (b) investment and (c) research and development in the onshore wind energy sector in each of the last 10 financial years and to date in this financial year.

Claire Perry: a) SubsidiesThe value of subsidy schemes which support renewable generation technologies, such as onshore wind, are levied on consumer electricity bills. b) Investment & c) Research and DevelopmentThere is no single data repository for historical information on cross-government investment into energy research, development and demonstration (RD&D). The best available record of government investment in renewable energy technologies is the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Energy Technology RD&D Budget Database, which this Department and its predecessor (Department of Energy and Climate Change) contribute to. The IEA’s database allows users to track trends in spending by energy technology in IEA countries back to 1974. You can find the information you require at: http://www.iea.org/statistics/rdd/. Whilst, the IEA’s Database is the most complete and best available historical record, given the long time period, the range of government departments and agencies involved, and different interpretations of what classifies as energy RD&D, the reported figures could be imperfect and/or incomplete. The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is currently reviewing how this data is collected and reported, to improve data accuracy and confidence in the future. The table below, available on the IEA website, shows the amount spent on biomass energy innovation per financial year to the nearest million in £GDP (blank cells is where data is unavailable):unavailable):Year20072008200920102011201220132014201520162017Onshore wind technologies  0.070.050.200.30

Wind Power: Expenditure

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much the Government spent from the public purse on (a) subsidies, (b) investment and (c) research and development in the offshore wind energy sector in each of the last 10 financial years and to date in this financial year.

Claire Perry: a) SubsidiesThe value of subsidy schemes which support renewable generation technologies, such as offshore wind, are levied on consumer electricity bills. b) Investment & c) Research and DevelopmentThere is no single data repository for historical information on cross-government investment into energy research, development and demonstration (RD&D). The best available record of government investment in renewable energy technologies is the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Energy Technology RD&D Budget Database, which this Department and its predecessor (Department of Energy and Climate Change) contribute to. The IEA’s database allows users to track trends in spending by energy technology in IEA countries back to 1974. You can find the information you require at: http://www.iea.org/statistics/rdd/. Whilst, the IEA’s Database is the most complete and best available historical record, given the long time period, the range of government departments and agencies involved, and different interpretations of what classifies as energy RD&D, the reported figures could be imperfect and/or incomplete. The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is currently reviewing how this data is collected and reported, to improve data accuracy and confidence in the future. The table below, available on the IEA website, shows the amount spent on biomass energy innovation per financial year to the nearest million in £GDP (blank cells is where data is unavailable):Year20072008200920102011201220132014201520162017Offshore wind techs (exl. Low wind speed)  7.065.642.152.23

Tidal Power: Expenditure

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much the Government spent from the public purse on (a) subsidies, (b) investment and (c) research and development in the tidal energy sector in each of the last 10 financial years and to date in his financial year.

Claire Perry: a) SubsidiesThe value of subsidy schemes which support renewable generation technologies, such as tidal energy, are levied on consumer electricity bills. b) Investment & c) Research and DevelopmentThere is no single data repository for historical information on cross-government investment into energy research, development and demonstration (RD&D). The best available record of government investment in renewable energy technologies is the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Energy Technology RD&D Budget Database, which this Department and its predecessor (Department of Energy and Climate Change) contribute to. The IEA’s database allows users to track trends in spending by energy technology in IEA countries back to 1974. You can find the information you require at: http://www.iea.org/statistics/rdd/.Whilst, the IEA’s Database is the most complete and best available historical record, given the long time period, the range of government departments and agencies involved, and different interpretations of what classifies as energy RD&D, the reported figures could be imperfect and/or incomplete. The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is currently reviewing how this data is collected and reported, to improve data accuracy and confidence in the future. The table below, available on the IEA website, shows the amount spent on biomass energy innovation per financial year to the nearest million in £GDP (blank cells is where data is unavailable): Year2008200920102011201220132014201520162017Tidal energy..........2.02.91.50.6.. However, including other spending beyond that included in the IEA statistics, since 2008, the Departments for Energy & Climate Change and, Business, Innovation and Skills have invested over £60m in marine energy research, development, demonstration and deployment contributing towards tidal energy.

Hydroelectric Power: Expenditure

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much the Government spent from the public purse on (a) subsidies, (b) investment and (c) research and development in the hydro energy sector in each of the last 10 financial years and to date in this financial year.

Claire Perry: a) SubsidiesThe value of subsidy schemes which support renewable generation technologies, such as hydro energy, are levied on consumer electricity bills. b) Investment & c) Research and DevelopmentThere is no single data repository for historical information on cross-government investment into energy research, development and demonstration (RD&D). The best available record of government investment in renewable energy technologies is the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Energy Technology RD&D Budget Database, which this Department and its predecessor (Department of Energy and Climate Change) contribute to. The IEA’s database allows users to track trends in spending by energy technology in IEA countries back to 1974. You can find the information you require at: http://www.iea.org/statistics/rdd/. Whilst, the IEA’s Database is the most complete and best available historical record, given the long time period, the range of government departments and agencies involved, and different interpretations of what classifies as energy RD&D, the reported figures could be imperfect and/or incomplete. The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is currently reviewing how this data is collected and reported, to improve data accuracy and confidence in the future. The table below, available on the IEA website, shows the amount spent on biomass energy innovation per financial year to the nearest million in £GDP (blank cells is where data is unavailable):Year20072008200920102011201220132014201520162017Hydroelectricity0.10.10.20.10.10.1Less than 0.1

Biofuels: Expenditure

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much the Government spent from the public purse on (a) subsidies, (b) investment and (c) research and development in the biomass energy sector in each of the last 10 financial years and to date in the 2018 - 2019  financial year.

Claire Perry: a) SubsidiesThe costs of subsidy schemes which support renewable generation technologies are levied on consumer electricity bills. The Office for Budget Responsibility publish forecasts of the overall spend on such schemes at each Fiscal Event. However, certain biomass technologies are supported through the Renewable Heat Initiative (RHI), which is funded from general taxation. The RHI spend on biomass energy over the last 10 financial years to date, in £GBP is as follows: Year2011/122012/132013/142014/15Cost (£)800,98415,131,30749,232,316137,754,934Year2015/162016/172017/182018/19Cost (£)239,104,230281,698,318256,640,734950,288 The RHI opened to applicants in 2011 so there is no data for earlier years. These figures are based on meter readings from RHI participants. There is a lag in BEIS receiving this data, so the data for more recent years (2017/18 and 2018/19) is not yet final. b) Investment & c) Research and DevelopmentThere is no single data repository for historical information on cross-government investment into energy research, development and demonstration (RD&D). The best available record of government investment in renewable energy technologies is the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Energy Technology RD&D Budget Database, which this Department and its predecessor (Department of Energy and Climate Change) contribute to. The IEA’s database allows users to track trends in spending by energy technology in IEA countries back to 1974. You can find the information you require at: http://www.iea.org/statistics/rdd/. Whilst, the IEA’s Database is the most complete and best available historical record, given the long time period, the range of government departments and agencies involved, and different interpretations of what classifies as energy RD&D, the reported figures could be imperfect and/or incomplete. The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is currently reviewing how this data is collected and reported, to improve data accuracy and confidence in the future. The table below, available on the IEA website, shows the amount spent on biomass energy innovation per financial year to the nearest million in £GDP (blank cells is where data is unavailable): Year20072008200920102011201220132014201520162017Biofuels (inc. liquids, solids and biogases  28.717.420.719.423.417.220.218.911.1

Manufacturing Industries: Employment

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to support manufacturing jobs in (a) Ellesmere Port and Neston constituency, (b) the North West and (c) the UK.

Richard Harrington: We are committed to making the UK the best place in Europe to own and grow a manufacturing business. Through our Industrial Strategy, we will make sure that we are using all the tools we have to stimulate growth in places such as the North West. That means using our record investments in infrastructure to unlock growth in every part of the country; using the major new investment in research to support innovative manufacturing businesses across the country; and encouraging inward investment into the parts of the country where we need to get growth going faster. We are also cutting business taxes and slashing red tape. My rt. hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer recently announced £20m of new funding in May for a “Made Smarter” pilot in the North West. Working with the five North West Growth Hubs, it will engage with 3000 manufacturing SMEs to adopt and exploit digital technology to increase their productivity Over the past few years, we have invested over £1.5 billion through the Local Growth Fund in the North West for projects to boost local economies. We will invest £201.1m of this in Cheshire & Warrington creating up to 12,000 jobs. This will support projects such as the Ellesmere Port and Chester Campus, and the Thornton Energy Centre in your constituency. . The Regional Growth Fund that supports eligible projects and programmes raising private sector investment to create economic growth and lasting employment, has, since its launch in 2010, resulted in over 47,000 jobs being contracted, of which 23,752 are in manufacturing

Fuel Poverty

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his department are taking to (a) reduce fuel poverty and (b) prevent excess winter deaths in the winter of 2018-19.

Claire Perry: The best long-term solution to tackling fuel poverty is to improve energy efficiency to bring the cost of heating homes down. That’s exactly what we’re doing through the Energy Company Obligation where £450 million of the £640 million per year scheme is currently directed towards low income and vulnerable households. We recently announced that we will focus the whole of the scheme on low income and vulnerable households from later this year. We also announced that we will increase the size of ‘flexible eligibility’, which enables Local Authorities to work with partners such as the health sector to determine which households are most in need of support. In addition, initially up to 10% of the scheme will be focused on innovation, bringing forward new technology that will help tackle fuel poverty over the long term. In order to help low income and vulnerable households with the cost of keeping warm each winter, the Warm Home Discount provides over 2 million households with a £140 rebate off their energy bill. In addition, Winter Fuel Payments provide all pensioner households, who can be some of the most vulnerable to the impacts of living in a cold home, with a payment of between £100 and £300 each winter. Also, the current Safeguard Tariff caps energy prices for 4 million pre-payment meter customers, and 1 million households in receipt of the Warm Home Discount, two groups who are known to be among the most vulnerable in society. The Domestic Gas & Electricity (Tariff Cap) Act 2018 will require Ofgem to temporarily extend these protections to a further 11 million customers on standard variable and default tariffs.

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what information he holds on how much steel is required on average to build a family car in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Harrington: The World Steel Association estimates that the global average steel use per car is around 900 Kg. Other sources produce a similar figure. We do not hold a separate figure for UK car production, but believe it will be consistent with the global figure.

Batteries: Manufacturing Industries

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many plants in the UK produce batteries for ultra low emission vehicles; and how many new such factories he estimates will be established in the next two years.

Richard Harrington: The UK has excellent capability in various aspects of the lithium ion battery supply chain and manufacturing process, and it also has a large scale automotive battery plant (current capacity around 2GWh per year), which was the first in Europe, in Sunderland owned by AESC (Nissan). This provides batteries for the Nissan Leaf, Europe’s best selling electric vehicle, (as well as the eNV200 van) and meets the majority of current UK assembled electrified vehicle battery demands with UK built batteries. Other UK companies are currently providing small scale specialist cells (AGM) or are assembling battery modules and packs from cells – including McLaren Applied Technologies, Williams Automotive Engineering, Cummins, RML, Hyperdrive, Delta, Ricardo, Potenza, Axeon. The UK also has emerging battery capability such as Johnson Matthey’s recent announcement of a UK demonstration plant that will aim to commercialise its new cathode technology The UK is well placed to grow this existing battery industry supported by the £246m Faraday Battery Challenge, as part of our Industrial Strategy, delivering new skills, innovations, and scale-up capability for UK companies.

Digital Technology: South Yorkshire

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2018 to Question 158755 on Digital Technology: South Yorkshire, how much of that British Business Bank funding has been allocated to South Yorkshire.

Richard Harrington: Holding answer received on 24 July 2018



In relation to the £2.5 billion of new funding for BBB’s Patient Capital Programme (BPC), this is not allocated on a regional basis but rather is a programme which operates nationally and will make investments wherever suitable opportunities arise. Across the UK, programmes operated by the Government-owned British Business Bank are currently supporting over £5.2 billion of finance to more than 74,000 smaller businesses. Additionally, since 2012 the Start-Up Loans programme has delivered more than 55,000 loans, totalling over £415m. While it is not possible to say precisely how much of this finance has been allocated to South Yorkshire, by way of example, the British Business Bank’s Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund has provided £11,478,500 to businesses in the area covered by the Doncaster, Rotherham, Barnsley and Sheffield local authorities up until March 2018.

Cabinet Office

Public Sector: Procurement

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of recent changes in the tender for the crown marketplace purchasing platform upon the Government’s ability to achieve its target to tender 35 per cent of Government spending to UK-based SMEs.

Oliver Dowden: The vision of the Crown Marketplace remains unchanged and the digital products we will launch this year will provide numerous opportunities for SMEs to tender and obtain value for money for the taxpayer. This will support the Government's aspiration for 33% of procurement spend to go to SMEs by 2022, and I have recently announced a package of tough new measures designed to level the playing field for smaller businesses bidding to win government contracts, whether this be through the Crown Marketplace or other Government tendering portals.

Blood: Contamination

Chris Stephens: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that members of the public who wish to participate in the Independent Inquiry into Contaminated Blood are entitled to, and receive access to, legal representation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Lidington: The Chair of the Inquiry, Sir Brian Langstaff is determined to put people at the heart of the Inquiry. He has said, “every person who is infected or affected has an account that will add to the Inquiry’s store of knowledge”. The Inquiry has invited people affected by the infected blood tragedy to contact them if they would like to provide evidence. Details of how to do so, and how to apply for core participant status, are available on the Inquiry’s website (www.infectedbloodinquiry.org.uk). The Ministerial notice of determination to the Chair, published on the Inquiry’s website, sets out that those infected from blood or blood products and their families are provided funding for legal representation by Government, and regardless of means. Details of how to apply for such funding are on the Inquiry’s website (https://3p43ah231u8w1xptng1yprm2-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Statement-of-Approach-Costs-1.pdf).

Department for Education

Grammar Schools: Gloucester

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of pupil premium students attended grammar schools in Gloucester in each of the last ten years.

Nick Gibb: The pupil premium was introduced in 2011. The number and proportion of pupils eligible for the deprivation element of the pupil premium who attended one of the four grammar schools in Gloucester is shown in the table below.Year2011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-172017-182018-19Number of eligible pupils46105117115114131136141Rate within schools2.0%4.5%5.0%4.9%4.8%5.4%5.5%5.5%

Primary Education

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many primary schools have been established on grammar school sites as a linked or feeder school (a) during 2017 and (b) since 2010.

Nick Gibb: Of the primary schools opened since 2010, the Department is not aware of any that have been established on grammar school sites.

Schools: North East

Mr Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for (a) secondary schools and (b) primary schools in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside and (iii) the North East.

Nick Gibb: The Government has made a significant extra investment of £1.3 billion in the core schools budget across 2018-19 and 2019-20, over and above the budget announced at the 2015 spending review. This means that funding will be maintained in real terms per pupil. The national funding formula, supported by this extra investment, has allocated up to 3% more funding per pupil for underfunded schools and it will allocate further gains of up to 3% per pupil in 2019-20. Under the formula, every school attracted at least 0.5% for every pupil in 2018-19 and will attract at least 1% more funding for every pupil by 2019-20, compared to the 2017-18 baselines. The Department has also introduced minimum per pupil funding levels in recognition of the challenges faced by the lowest funded schools. Under the national formula, in 2019-20 all secondary schools will attract at least £4,800 per pupil, and all primary schools will attract at least £3,500 per pupil. In 2018-19, as a step towards these minimum funding levels, secondary schools attracted at least £4,600, and primary schools £3,300. The minimum per pupil funding levels are not subject to the gains cap, and so allocate faster gains to the very lowest funded schools.The Department has published information about the impact of the national funding formulae at school and local authority level at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-for-schools-and-high-needs.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit: Children in Care

Ruth George: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether universal credit payments will be made for a looked after child for periods that the child has returned home temporarily.

Alok Sharma: Where entitlement has been established, Universal Credit would be payable for a looked after child or qualifying young person if the child has been placed with, or continues to live with, their parent or a person who has parental responsibility for them. A child can be looked after and placed with their parents under the supervision of social services.

Employment: Disability

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress has been made in supporting people with disabilities into work since May 2015.

Sarah Newton: This Government is committed to supporting disabled people and those with health conditions to reach their potential. Since 2015 there has been a steady increase in the number of disabled people in work. From April-June 2015 to April-June 2017 (the latest period for which the Office for National Statistics has published estimates without ‘health warnings’), the number of disabled people in work increased by 235,000 from 3.3 million to 3.5 million. The disability employment rate in this period increased by 3.3 percentage points, from 45.9% to 49.2%. Universal Credit helps people with a disability or health condition who are already in work, to remain and progress in work. It is specifically designed so that we can engage with and support people early in and throughout their claim, to give them advice and support – and not to lose contact with them. All work coaches delivering Universal Credit will receive training on supporting claimants with health conditions. On 30 November 2017, we published ‘Improving Lives: the Future of Work, Health and Disability’, which sets out actions we’re taking in the welfare system, in the workplace and in health services to realise our commitment to see one million more disabled people in work by 2027. Our programme is supported by a wide range of ‘test and learn’ activity designed to build the evidence about what works to support disabled people and those with health conditions to get into and stay in work. Projects worth up to around £1 billion have been launched, including:up to £500m of investment in the new Work and Health Programme, which we expect to help around 275,000 people over five years, with the majority (around 220,000) being disabled people;our Personal Support Package, including the investment of £330m for those on the UC/ESA health journey, delivering a range of new interventions and initiatives designed to provide support tailored to the individual needs of claimants;health-led trials in Sheffield City Region and the West Midlands Combined Authority, which build on the internationally-recognised Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach to provide employment support in a health setting for people with mild-to-moderate mental and physical health conditions;more than doubling the number of Employment Advisers in NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services, providing support to adults with depression and a range of anxiety disorders through integrated employment advice and psychological treatment;recruiting 300 additional Disability Employment Advisers, and introducing 200 new Community Partners to bring more specialist advice and support into the Jobcentre; andsupporting Greater Manchester and the Scottish Government with early intervention initiatives that make it easier and quicker for people to access the right support through a needs assessment, and rapid access to interventions such as occupational health support, mental health and musculoskeletal treatment, and job brokerage. We have also recently introduced the new Tech Fund in Access to Work, offering employers significant support with the cost of assistive technology; and we’re continuing to build our engagement with employers through Disability Confident, which is growing strongly and now has over 6,800 employers signed up.

Universal Credit

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number and proportion of universal credit claims started but not completed.

Alok Sharma: Our latest analysis, from management information for Universal Credit Full Service claims made (declared) in November 2017, shows that 29% were closed and not paid, of which the majority were accounted for under the following categories: failure to attend an initial interview (10%)Claimant Commitment not accepted (6%)the claim was withdrawn (4%)failure to attend a subsequent interview (4%)

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Fish: Conservation

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to help preserve juvenile cod fishing stocks after the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice: The UK has been working with the EU to agree Multi-Annual Plans (MAPs) for the North Sea and Western Waters which will deliver sustainable management of mixed fisheries including the provision of better protection for juvenile stocks such as cod. For example, MAPs will provide the framework for optimum recovery measures including limitations in certain areas to protect spawning and juvenile fish. MAPs will be an important tool for our future bilateral co-operation with the EU.

Home Office

Anti-slavery Day

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how he plans to commemorate Anti-slavery Day on 18 October 2018.

Victoria Atkins: Anti-slavery Day is marked by the UK annually to raise awareness of the horrific crime of modern slavery. I will announce my own plans for a range of events to mark the day in due course.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle the use of drones over (a) power plants and (b) prisons.

Mr Nick Hurd: We are taking decisive steps to tackle the use of drones by criminals to convey contraband into prisons. Last year saw the launch of Operation Trenton, a joint team of specialist police and prison investigators, working together to intercept drones and track down the criminals behind them. To date, there have been at least 30 convictions related to drone activity, with those sentenced serving a total of more than 100 years in prison.Government and industry take the protective security of all energy infrastructure very seriously. As the lead department for energy, the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy works with industry partners to review and assess all risks to ensure that energy networks are resilient to disruption, be that from malicious attack or hazards such as adverse weather conditions. The Government has outlined plans to explore options related to 'No Drone Flying Zones' around national infrastructure sites including power stations.Government introduced The Air Navigation (Amendment) Order 2018 on 30 May, which when fully implemented in 2019, will create a mandatory registration scheme for drone operators. The legislation will also require drone operators to obtain an acknowledgement of competency from the Civil Aviation Authority.

Crime: South Tyneside

Mr Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the reasons for the increase in the level of reported crime in South Tyneside between April 2017 and March 2018; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Nick Hurd: Police recorded crime figures for England and Wales are published quarterly by the Home Office.Total crime recorded (excluding fraud) in South Tyneside Community Service Partnership has increased by 21% in the year to March 2018 compared to year to March 2017.Nationally total police recorded crime (including fraud) increased by 11% in the year ending March 2018 compared with the previous year. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) points to improvements to recording practices by forces, expanded offence coverage, an increased willingness of victims to come forward and report certain crimes like sexual offences and domestic abuse to the police and genuine increases in some crime categories, especially in those that are well recorded, as important factors in explaining trends in police recorded crime.Overall crime (excluding fraud) measured by the independent Crime Survey for England and Wales are down by 35% since 2010.The most recent national crime figures are published by the Office for National Statistic in ‘Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2018’ (https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/crimeinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2018).

Department for Exiting the European Union

Customs and Freight

James Frith: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what contingency plans he is making in relation to UK freight transport using UK ports in the event that (a) no deal with the EU is reached, (b) multi-lateral or bi-lateral driving permits are not honoured after the UK leaves the EU and (c) there is a delay in the number of trained staff being available to adequately cope with the additional customs demands at ports after the UK leaves the EU.

Suella Braverman: The Government has been clear that it is in everyone’s interests to secure a good deal for both sides, and does not want nor expect a ‘no deal’ outcome from these negotiations. With respect to a) and b): On 19 July the Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Act received Royal Assent, to ensure that the UK has the powers it needs to support British hauliers to continue operating internationally after exiting the EU. A permit scheme, should it be required, could take several forms. One such scheme is the ECMT (European Conference of Ministers of Transport) permit scheme. This is a non-EU agreement which facilitates reciprocal access amongst its member countries, and hence could be used in the unlikely event of no deal with the EU. In addition, on 18 May 2018 my Hon Friend the Transport Minister Jesse Norman MP announced plans to improve overnight lorry parking and to ease traffic in the event of cross-Channel disruption. As regards to c), as the previous Home Secretary announced on 28 March 2018 the UK has launched a nationwide recruitment campaign for officers to help prepare the UK border for leaving the EU, an approximate 1,000 roles in total are being advertised across Border Force. This is on top of 300 frontline Border Force officers already recruited in preparation for exiting the EU. The campaign will provide Border Force with the flexibility to respond effectively to emerging requirements, including any future needs as a result of EU Exit. HMRC are on course to deliver functioning customs, VAT and excise regimes the UK will need once it leaves the EU in any scenario. This will enable trade to flow, HMRC to collect revenues and the UK to have a secure border. Over the coming weeks and months, we will be providing further information on our plans for a range of exit scenarios in order to guide businesses and the public on how they can best prepare for our exit from the EU.